Help bring the Shat family from Gaza to safety

Hello everyone! 

My name is Maysaa Shat and I was born and raised in the Gaza Strip for 20 years. Now, I live in Ontario, Canada with my family of 6. 

I never thought I’d ever find myself making a gofundme page, but times change and I’m reaching out to the global community with a heavy heart to seek your generous support in a time of immense crisis.

My family including my elderly parents and my two brothers along with their wives and children are currently trapped in the midst of the devastating war on Gaza, and we desperately need your help to get them to evacuate the horrors of war to a safe place.

My father is 68 years old. He is visually impaired, cannot walk and in need of very special care. My mother is 71 years old. They've lost two of their sons (my other two brothers) at a very young age because of cancer and the poor healthcare system in Gaza and the entire surrounding area. They cannot suffer any more losses. My brother and his wife have a 6-year-old daughter, a 4-year-old son and a 2-month-old baby boy that was born 10 days after the war on Gaza started. My other brother and his wife have two sons, 3 years old and 1 year old. They’ve all been living and struggling under siege since 2006. All 11 of these immediate family members have been forcibly displaced from the home they’ve lived in for generations, the home I was born and raised in. Our beautiful home that most likely isn’t even standing anymore. They are all currently living in tents by the coastline of Gaza. It’s been incredibly challenging for them to survive with the day and night bombing all around them with no safe shelter and the lack of food, water and medical supplies.

Recently the Canadian government has announced a new special measures temporary residence visa program for extended family members in Gaza of Canadian Citizens. I am starting this gofundme campaign to raise funds that will be used for essential needs such as their accommodation, travel, living expenses and any other necessary documentation required for their safe arrival. The Canadian government made it very clear that they won’t participate in the financial expenses of any Gazan family members once they arrive here and it is extremely tough to accommodate 11 more individuals in the economy we live in.

• The detailed & expected expenses of their journey from leaving the Gaza Strip to arriving in Canada, are as shown in the below breakdown:-

1. Applications+ Biometric Fees: $1,100+$510= $1,610 

2. Land transportation of 11 people to the Rafah Crossing Border: $500 

3. Border fees: $150x11= $1,650 

4. Transportation from Border to Cairo: $500x2= $1,000 

5. Accommodation in Cairo (45 days): 2x$300x1.5= $900 

6. Basic needs in Egypt (food, transportation, etc) for 11 people: $100x45= $4500 

7. Airplane Tickets from Cairo-Toronto: 6 Adults x $1600+5 Kids x $1200 = $15,600 

8. Accommodation of 11 people for 6 months in Canada: 2x$3000x6= $36,000 

9. Basic needs for 6 months (food, clothes and transportation) in Canada: 2x$1750x6= $21,000 

Total = $82,760 

Average Per person= $7,525

I fully understand that times are tough for everyone, but your support and donations have a direct impact on the future of my loved ones, especially the children. They're just innocent civilians who want to live happily and safely. They love life as much as you do, they care about their children as much as you do and they hate war just as much as you do. We just happened to be born in a safe and privileged environment while they weren’t. Therefore, the least we can do is help them escape.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story. Every donation, whether big or small matters and will bring us one step closer to reuniting our family and bringing the children to safety. 

Your compassion and generosity will never be forgotten, and you will forever hold a special place in all of our hearts.